Gfab was started in 1999 by Gary Fell. Gary originally came to Bali as project architect on Four Seasons Sayan. Over the last 9 years the practice has developed from a small team of young architects into an internationally renowned office comprising 31 architects and 3 administration staff. All members of the office speak English and many have been trained overseas, thereby familiarising themselves with international working methods, techniques and technologies. At present Gfab is engaged in projects throughout Asia with particular emphasis on Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Indonesia. Much of our work comprises Hotels, luxury villa developments, Condominiums and bespoke private houses.
Through experience we are able to work closely with developers and operators to produce projects which are practical elegant and economical. Throughout our projects we have been attempting to explore relationships between the site and the proposal that are sensitive to the environment. This is an approach that we feel is imperative in the present economic and cultural situation. We strongly believe that a building should be intimately linked to its site (aesthetically and materially) and be as energy efficient as possible. To this end we have been exploring ideas such as deep cutting and partial burying of buildings (insulation) as well as passive solar controls engendered by using the roof as either a large inert thermal mass (planters) or a evaporative cooling mechanism (reflecting pools/lotus ponds.) These techniques are seamlessly blended with ones drawn from historical precedents – massive thick walls (often created from stone quarried on site – thus able to weather sympathetically whilst offering thermal insulation) and courtyard and roof top pools (evaporation from which helps draw air through a building.)
Whilst we are keen to draw upon the past freely as described above, we are resolutely opposed to historical “quotation” – by this we mean the application of stylistic motifs and elements associated with “local” vernaculars. We believe a building can engage with its cultural and topographic conditions – that is to “”belong” exclusively to its locale, without recourse to imposing “style” as a surface treatment for us, this is the antithesis of authentic artistic production.
In addition to architectural design services Gfab offers Interior, Lighting and furniture design and we maintain a heavy involvement in landscape design, working closely with landscape contractors where no consultant is appointed. For Bali based project, we would expect to work closely with the client’s appointed Project managers and assist wherever necessary – this would include participation in the letting, administrating, and negotiating of tenders and contracts, selecting/recommending the successful contractor, quality control and assistance on site during the construction process and issuing final Certificates of Completion.